IberArthro: A free online database compiling taxonomic and distributional data on Ibero-Balearic arthropods

Abstract

Arthropods constitute the bulk of global biodiversity, being the most diverse metazoan phylum on the planet. Despite the relevance of arthropods, our knowledge about them remains limited, partly due to the scarcity of reliable faunistic data. The Iberian Peninsula is part of one of the global biodiversity hotspots, the Mediterranean Basin. However, very little is known on the ecology and spatial distribution of many Iberian arthropod species. We provide a database on the distribution of Ibero-Balearic arthropods (the IberArthro database) belonging to 10 taxonomic groups: Coleoptera (Aquatic), Coleoptera (Scarabaeoidea), Collembola, Hymenoptera (Apoidea), Lepidoptera (Noctuoidea), Lepidoptera (Papilionoidea), Neuropterida, Opiliones, Plecoptera and Trichoptera. The database contains 1 006 768 records with associated geographic data (at 10 × 10 km grid squares), compiled from various sources and validated by specialists in each group. These records cover 4612 species and subspecies, spanning from the 18th century to February 2024. This database represents an unprecedented advance in understanding the distribution of Iberian arthropod biodiversity and its conservation. The complete dataset is provided in Darwin Core Archive format and is available through the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).